The King of the Sea
by DoctorSarcasm
Summary: Percy was born to be a Pirate. He had his crew. His ship. His gold. He even loved being chased by the British Royal Navy captain, Annabeth Chase. But things have been stirring lately, as pirates, bandits, even the Navy have been suspicious about the rising of an ancient miscreant bound to rule the seas. Percy, of course, is bound to find out.
1. Chapter One - The Bandit

Percy was thrilled by the second volley of cannon balls.

He'd never felt this excited since escaping the British Royal Navy. Across from The Atlantis's Curse—the massive galleon he had inherited—was a third-rate shooting large, metallic cannon balls that looked like balloons on steroids. The opposing ship was obviously faster than his, but Percy didn't mind. Surely, there were bandits on the boat, begging to get their loot robbed. Percy would happily oblige.  
His crew members were confidently in their respectful positions, each one where they belong. His first-mate Piper and his gunner Hazel were on each side of the right flank of cannons, lighting them and aiming them for fire at the enemy ship. Behind him, all the way towards the stern, was a scrawny boy with curly black hair—Leo, who was steering the ship, acting as the crew's pilot. Percy looked around. He was missing one more member of his crew, he was missing his navigator.

And at that moment, someone with dark shaggy hair and eyes the same color as his hair slid down the mainmast and dropped right in front of Percy. Nico gave Percy a small nod and jogged towards the cannons where Piper and Hazel were gunning.  
Percy took one good look at his crew. He noticed how Piper and Hazel wore the same Motley clothing except Hazel had maroon stripes in her shirt while Piper had a blood-red in hers. Each of the girls wore dark baggy pants and large leather boots that reached up their knees. Piper had nothing on her head, but on her neck she had large pearls which she earned on a previous treasure hunt. Around her wrists, an abundance of bracelets the color of a raincloud that glistened beautifully around her light copper skin. Around her waist, she wore a leather belt that held her bronze dagger on her right and a clean iron cutlass on her left. Hazel on the other hand wore a dark blue bandana that fit too big, nearly covering her eye. Her dark chocolate skin looked just as perfect with the large, golden earrings that circled her ears, shaking with ever movement as she moved from cannon to cannon. Just like Piper, Hazel had the same leather belt that held one large cutlass that Percy instantly knew to stay away from—Hazel could be dangerous with that thing.

Leo was probably the most flamboyant and the most poorly elegant at the same time. He had a large confident grin on his face, once in a while getting slapped by the black-and-white checkered scarf that flapped in the furious wind. He had a dirty white shirt, with baggy sleeves. On top of the shirt, he wore a navy blue waistcoat—a mock of the British Navy, Percy presumed. In diversity of the rest of the crew; Leo's belt was much larger, for he carried a few dozen tools around his waist. He wore dark blue breeches that reached under his knee, while the rest of his skin was covered by black leather boots. Leo liked to wear an eyepatch over his left eye, but Percy knew he only did it for fashion.  
His navigator, Nico, took his style more seriously than Leo. He wore a dark plain shirt that was covered with a huge black coat that was several sizes too large for his body. Nico wasn't much of a person to wear accessories, in fact, he avoided them. He wore pants the color of the night sky that poured down his legs until it reached the top of his feet, which were covered with plain shoes, very different from the rest of the crew.

Percy grinned, despite the war his ship was in. He loved being around the ocean. He loved sailing. He loved his crew members. He treated them with respect and equality. No one was below anyone on this ship. To him they were all his brethren, all his friends. He'd trusted every last one of them with his life and vice versa.  
The sun glared in his face, but that didn't keep him from looking forward. The wind was dangerously potent, but still warm. The air smelled like sea rocks and salt, a scent Percy had learned to adore due to his years at sea.

"Everyone, duck!" Piper had yelled.  
And so they did. Each member of the ship crouched to the ground—even the pilot—as a flock of canon balls soared toward them. Percy couldn't exactly see what happened, but he felt the ship tilting, shaking as if an earthquake had happened belowdecks.  
"Schist!" Percy heard Leo yell, "That's gonna so some serious damage!"  
Percy didn't know what he was talking about…until he looked up. He almost wished he hadn't because the sight twisted his stomach into a knot. The foremast was bent, almost twisted. It had been leaning towards the left flank, dangerously about to snap.  
Percy gritted his teeth. There was no way he was losing his ship.  
"Leo," He shouted towards the pilot, "Try keeping it out of distance from the cannon shots!"  
"Yeah, tell me something I don't know, Cappy!"  
"Captain," called Hazel, "All artillery is ready for fire!"  
Percy ran towards the sound of her voice. Once again, he'd lost Nico. He looked around him, made a three-hundred and sixty degree turn, but still had no luck.  
"Where's Nico?" He asked Piper.  
Piper shot him a big smile that said something like _don't worry we have it under control.  
_ "We sent him to the cannons below," She finally said.  
"Will he be all right down there? Won't he need any help?" Percy somehow felt protective over his navigator. Being belowdecks could be solitary, and the firepower down there was too much for a single person.  
"Don't worry," Hazel said, "my brother is good with the cannons. If anything, he knows how to operate the ones below better than I do."  
Percy nodded at this.  
He placed his foot on one of the metallic guns, pointing a finger to the smaller ship across the sea.  
"Okay, crew—fire!" He felt the world under his feet tremble. His ship vibrated as a volley of eighteen cannon balls arched in the air, using the wind as it's guide and impulse towards the enemy ship. As soon as the first set of cannonballs flew, there was a second tremble belowdecks as Nico di Angelo fired sixteen more shots, only these were flying in a lower angle than the ones before.  
Percy laughed as he saw the action. He felt proud of his friends and their organization. Usually, they were a mess when it came to keeping the ship clean, but when it came to the fun stuff—sailing, loot robbing, sea fighting—they were perfect.  
The series of firepower had done a major damage to the opposing ship. The collection of the top cannons had destroyed their sails and had knocked down their mast, leaving them with no escape. The bottom volley had made large dents in their defense, creating large hollow holes in the sturdy wood. Percy had noticed a piece of the wood crumbling down at the bottom, like the way paint peels off a wall.  
He looked back at Leo. Percy had to smile as he saw the look of concentration on his face. Leo was generally a laid back kind of person, but when he sailed, _he sailed_.  
Leo caught the look in Percy's eye and got the signal he was sending him. Instantly, he jerked the ship's wheel to his east, allowing the galleon to turn course with him. Percy sauntered to the foredeck, digging his hands in the pockets of his coat. He reached the bowsprit and climbed on to it, being extra careful not to fall off as if he were walking on a tight rope. The sun's reflection was echoing orange in the transparent blue of the ocean's water. Percy loved how the wind whistled in his face, nearly knocking off his tri-cornered captain's hat.  
Percy had a chance to catch a glimpse of the opposing ship as theirs approached. Threw his golden-bronze telescope he saw the enemy's panicking as the ran around the deck, expecting orders from their captain—a short, scrawny man with a scruffy white beard and a dead look in his eyes. He wore the typical bandit clothes such as the bandanas that did a horrible job covering his balding head and his bushy beard. Percy guessed he was the captain, since he seemed to be the one shouting orders and acted the calmest amongst the rest of the crew.  
The Atlantis's Curse rammed the smaller ship before Percy had a chance to walk off the bowsprit, which nearly tumbled him overboard. As soon as he regained his balance, he pulled out a single flintlock pistol from his belt. He shot into the air once and yelled out a battle cry, "All right, crew—attack!"  
Percy smiled as Piper and Hazel hopped from the galleon's deck to the third rate's deck, large steel cutlasses waving in the air. Nico climbed back up and realized the action immediately. He glanced over towards Percy, looking uncertain about something.  
"Stay here with Leo!" Percy ordered. "We need you two taking care of the ship."  
With that said, he jumped from the bowsprit to the enemy ship, soon taking in the action and madness that was abroad.  
The bandits' crew had already been overwhelmed, even if it just were two members of his crew. Piper and Hazel were deadly as a team, better than an army of elephants with the minds only set on "trample." The two girls had managed to tie up have a dozen bandits around the mainmast as if they were expecting the ship to be flipped over. Percy caught Piper clashing with tall and muscular man. He had dark hair with an odd buzzcut Percy had never seen. It was like a mountain had been cropped at it's crest, leaving it at an odd angle.  
It seemed that Piper had it under control, though the man kept pushing her back towards the edge of the ship. They're blades parried, creating a shrieking _shink_ each time the metal crashed against each other. Piper took a glance back and nearly stepped off the edge. She stretched out her leg and crouched, rotating in a perfect circle like a human vortex as she swiped the muscular man off his feet. He hit the wooden board with a horrible crash, sending him into unconsciousness.  
Piper looked back at Percy and smiled, but her grin soon faded into a look of terror. Percy felt confused as he stared at her, but he soon realized the cause. He glanced over his shoulder and saw a tiny man raising a cutlass—the captain. Percy dodge-rolled as soon as he could, allowing the captain's blade cut a gash in the lining of his coat. Percy had to catch his captain's hat from falling off as he regained his composure. He lifted up his hand, aiming his pistol directly at the scrawny captain's face.  
"Give it up," Percy spat, still aiming the flintlock directly at the captain's face.  
The old man snickered, giving Percy a mocking expression. "Coward. A useless pistol will not do you any good."  
Percy smirked, lowering his aiming arm, keeping the pistol's nose away from the other man. He brushed his thumb over a small metallic bottom between the handle and the pistol. As he pressed it, the pistol shifted, elongating into a weapon majorly deadlier. The flintlock's handle had turned into a rough leather grip in Percy's hand; the snout, metallic and bronze, changed into a glowing bright blade the same color. On the hilt of the sword were words written in an ancient language. Anaklusmos, it read, but Percy had known it's meaning: Riptide.  
Percy raised his new weapon, pointing it at the man once more.  
"I'll say it one more time," he said in the same dangerous tone, "Give up. Now."  
"Fight me first. Then we shall see who keeps this ship's riches."  
"Who are you?"  
The bandit captain laughed, as if the answer to that question was obvious. Percy hated feeling like he didn't know the answer, he hated being the most ignorant of people.  
"Haven't you heard? I'm the great bandit Scatron," said the man cheerfully. Percy had never heard of him, sure he'd fought bandits and other pirates before, famous and dangerous alike, but he'd never bothered to keep track who they were before any of their encounters.  
He looked around to find his crew mates, but they were no where near the deck. He'd guessed that they were probably ransacking the small ship. He stole a glance at his ship. Conflict was occurring. Somehow, bandits had managed to hop towards his galleon, leaving Leo Valdez and Nico di Angelo in defense of the ship. Percy didn't worry too much, he trusted his friends, and he knew how strong they could be.  
Percy had grown tired of the tension between Scatron man and himself, so he charged. Their blades locked, a piercing shriek as bronze and steel collided. Percy could see the man smiling through the gap between their blades. How and old man could be so strong, Percy had no idea, but he figured he didn't have much time to figure it out.  
Each of them pulled back their blades, losing the lock. Scatron thrusted his cutlass, aiming towards Percy's heart, but he had side stepped just in time. Percy slashed in a wide arc, damaging scatron in the knee. The old man howled in pain, but regained himself immediately.  
Suddenly, he was a killing machine. Scatron swiped and slash, lunged and thrusted so fast, Percy hardly had enough time to dodge. He'd gotten cut by the bandit's blade several times, but that didn't stop him from keeping away. The old man had driven Percy to the edge of the ship, leaving him no where to dodge, so he tried blocking with all his might.  
Percy felt the waves hitting against the crumbling wood like pounds from a vibrating drum. He felt the ocean churning, renewing himself in its essence. Now, he didn't mind a dip in the water once in a while—in fact it would have revitalized him—but he figured now wouldn't be the best time for a beauty bath.  
He felt a tingling sensation in his gut, a slight pain as if he felt the ocean calling for him. With one big scream, a tidal wave rushed over the him, nearly tipping over the smaller ship. The wave had been so powerful, it had knocked Scatron off his feet, sending him sprawling to the floor. He looked both astonished and disgusted, as if Percy had slapped him in the face with the world's largest tuna fish.  
The bandit was about to stand until Percy put the tip of Riptide on his neck. A whimper escaped Scatron's throat, but the old man scowled as if he had newfound hatred for Percy.  
"Poseidon scum," spat Scatron. "The gods shall fall. Their reign in the world will end, along with their pathetic little demigods. He rises again. And when he does, you better find yourself hiding before it's too late."  
Percy had no idea what he was rambling on about, but he felt that it must have been important. "That's flattering, do you mind being more specific about who 'He' is?"  
The sinister smile on Scatron's face made Percy feel a little nervous, as if he were planning a deliciously gruesome death for him. "The Great Lord, of course. The Master of the Abyss. The Crooked One. "  
Percy wasn't the smartest of guys, but he was pretty sure those titles meant something extremely powerful and dangerous. He was about to press the old bandit on, but Hazel ran up to him with an abundance of shining gems and gold inside a sack.  
"Captain!" She called. "We managed to take everything on board. Piper is already back on the Curse with Leo and Nico, and we should be heading back too. I've got a feeling this ship won't last longer." She was right, of course. Percy was sure the export was decomposing in a way. Once every few minutes you could hear the clashing of wood falling into the ocean, or the creek of one of the mast's daring to drop on top of them.  
"Women on a ship!" cried Scatron. "A disgrace to sailing under the Black Flag. They bring bad fortune!"  
For some reason this angered Percy. He hated when other people trashed on his crew mates. "Oh, really? What are the odds? Looks like _we_ seemed to turn out luckier than you."  
He glanced at Hazel to see if she was offended, but her face was blank of emotion. "Let's go back to the Curse," He told her. "The rest are waiting."  
"What about the bandit?" She asked.  
"Leave him here. He'll find out a way to survive." Despite his anger toward Scatron, Percy still hope he would survive the wrecking ship. Sure, he'd caused them a lot of trouble, but he was still human.  
They had left the old man glaring at them as they crossed on board to the Atlantis's Curse. Leo and Nico stood triumphant over downed bandits, the same ones who had tried to interlope their ship. Leo had a confident grin on his face as his crew mates returned, while Nico just leaned against the foremast, giving his sister a small smile as she walked toward them.  
"Leo, head course to Ogygia." Percy ordered, "We'll need to restock on supplies and make some repairs."  
Leo frowned at Percy, obviously sensing something wrong. "You sure about that? I mean, didn't we plan a few pits stops at some villages?"  
"Those will have to wait, pal." The mood on the Atlantis's Curse was jolly. They had won, acquired a ton of cash, and beaten a hoard of bandits, yet the warning that Scatron had given Percy worried him. Still, we didn't feel like killing the happy mood among his crew mates just yet. If anything, they earned it after some hard work. Which was another reason why he wanted to head back to Ogygia, they needed rest.  
Percy stared at the orange glow of the ocean as the sun set into rest at the base of the sea.


	2. Chapter Two - The Royal Navy

Jason could never get a break. For ten days they had been chasing pirates. Of course, there were some victories, but he could tell that Captain Chase wasn't satisfied.  
Jason sometimes worried about Annabeth. She seemed so stressed–no, hellbent–to catch one particular pirate: Percy Jackson. Now, Jason had never seen Jackson in person, but he'd heard stories of him. Jason had only seen drawings of Percy Jackson, done by Annabeth herself. Captain Chase was a good architect, so drawing was one of her skills.  
The call for duty was something Jason could understand. He had once been a captain himself until the incident happened…  
But Jason didn't want to think of the incident, so he decided to focus on something else.  
He had been leaning against the stone brick walls Port Royale, staring at the long cobbled streets that snaked through the town. Each little road divided a space between the buildings, like some sort of invisible wall.  
Jason appreciated being back in town, even if it was just for a short time. He knew he needed rest, but he always seemed to push himself beyond his limits. Sure, he wasn't Captain anymore, but being a Lieutenant still meant hard work. He _was_ the son of the king, after all.  
His fellow crew members needed some rest, especially the Captain. She had been far too worried in capturing Percy Jackson, that she'd probably forgotten to eat in days. Jason couldn't blame here. He'd probably feel the same way if he were in her position.  
They would be departing soon, again chasing after the infamous pirate. Apparently, they had a knew lead about his location. Something about a clash with a smaller ship.  
Jason fell out of his trance as he saw his friend approach: The Master of the ship. Frank Zhang had been the best navigator Jason had ever seen. He had a good eye, he had an awesome sense of direction, and he would never get lost. That's because Frank was a shapeshifter. All he had to do was turn into an albatross and they were set to go. The guy was a walking compass.  
"You heading in yet?" Frank had asked him.  
Jason shook his head, smiling at his friend. They were nearly the same height, except Frank had a bulkier build, like a brute. His chest was more expanded and his arms were larger. At first eye, Frank seemed like a vicious bear that could tear you apart (which he could), but Frank had been one of the nicest guys Jason had ever met.  
"I'm waiting for Thalia. I wonder what's taking her so long."  
"She could be busy or something."  
"Maybe she's arguing with someone. Who knows?" Jason's joke made Frank crack a smile, something he appreciated very much. Still, there was truth to his joke, as his sister tended to argue a lot with people.  
With a pat on the shoulder, Frank walked towards the docks, heading on board The Wisdom Owl.  
Jason examined the large galleon–particularly the white sails and the graceful Union Jack on the foremast. Jason usually tended the sails, as it was the winds who guided them. Most of the time, usually when they were docked, he needed to shift the winds to begin course. He was sure that he would be needed for the job soon enough.  
"Hey, little brother." Thalia had suddenly appeared, a scowl on her freckled face.  
At first glance, no one would believe that Thalia and him were siblings, but if you looked closely, you could see the slight similarities. Their eyes were the same shade of electric blue, same round shape as well. Their lips were both pink and thin too, but besides that, there was nothing else. Thalia looked older than Jason, a lot fiercer. The fact made Jason wonder why she'd never been Captain, but he was sure that she was fine being a Purser for her crew. Even so, Jason looked up to Thalia–not just because she was his older sister, but because she was definitely the strongest girl he knew.  
Thalia's hair was different from Jason's too. Her hair was black as a crow and a lot spikier. His hair was blond, a trait he'd inherited from his mother.  
In fact, Jason was starting to believe that the only things he had in common with his sister were their eyes and the blue navy coat and uniform they wore.  
"You seem upset. Is something wrong?" Jason asked with concern, noticing her semi-aggressive tone of voice.  
At that moment, Thalia's face relaxed. "I was talking with Hermes. Something about dad…"  
Jason nodded. He knew that their father was a touchy subject. He probably shouldn't have asked anything else, but still he tried.

"What about dad?"  
Thalia shook her head slowly, her spiky curtains framing her face with every move. "I'll tell you later. Promise."  
They had begun walking to the ship, a comfortable silence between them. Once in a while, fellow Seamen would halt and salute in their direction, but Jason would just smile in their direction.  
"He's such a problem," Thalia had finally said as they were boarding The Wisdom Owl. Jason could only listen intently as his sister rambled. "It's always what he wants or it's eternal hell for not putting with his shi–" Thalia stopped herself abruptly. Jason looked over at her, feeling interested, only to notice that her face had melted back into a scowl. Only this time her eyes showed a different emotion than anger. Something Jason was familiar with himself: pain.  
It was as if a flintlock had shot scorching bullet in his heart. He hated seeing his sister upset.  
"Thalia," He suddenly said. "Thalia what's wrong?" But Thalia wouldn't answer him. Instead, she stood still, staring at the other side of the deck.  
Jason's eyes drifted in the same direction, and the sight confused him. He didn't know why this would upset Thalia, but he felt as if it wasn't the correct time to bother her about it.  
What he saw was Annabeth Chase,–her curly blond hair showering on her shoulders–in deep conversation with a man who had the same amount of buttons as her on his coat, a Captain, Jason thought. She had a look on her face that he'd never seen before. She looked like she was in a trance, something that was caused by the man she was talking to, Jason figured.  
Annabeth and the man looked over at them, a frown appearing as her gray eyes would land on Thalia. She told the man something like "Wait here" and walked over to them.  
"What is _he_ doing here?" Thalia demanded desperately as Annabeth approached.  
"Look, Thalia, I'm so sorry. We need him. If we want to catch Jackson, he's our man."  
Thalia sighed in defeat. Jason wasn't sure if it was out of respect for Annabeth–they _had_ been friends since Annabeth was a little girl, afterall–or if it was because she was in no mood for arguing.  
"Fine," Thalia said, "but if he gets anywhere near me, I'm throwing him off board."  
Annabeth gave her friend an appreciating smile, nodding as she understood Thalia.  
Jason began noticing how the man had been glaring in their direction. The look he gave them sent chills down his spine. It wasn't because there was a long scar trailing down the left side of his face. It was because they looked so much alike. Except this man looked colder, taller, more muscular. He reminded Jason of an old crew mate of his.  
"Who is he?" Jason finally blurted out.  
Annabeth turned her attention towards Jason, a straight and serious look on her face. "Jason, I want you to meet Captain Castellan."


	3. Chapter Three - Invasion

The Captain's orders seemed strange to Piper. And the look in his eye concerned her. Without a doubt, something had happened on the bandit's ship, and it had to be pretty bad if it disturbed Percy Jackson.  
The Atlantis' Curse swayed easily on the bay of Ogygia, small and tender waves nudging the prow. The sky above was glittered in purple evening lights, the faintest hint of stars glistening down on the island. The wind kept blowing east; the gentle breeze brushing Piper's hair.  
A group of people had arrived at the docks upon the arrival, staring in awe at the massive ship. Piper smiled as her crew mates peered over the edge of the galleon, wide grins on their faces as they arrived. Leo leaned against the edge, cockily grinning at the bystanders at shore.  
"Ladies and gents of Ogygia," He excalimed, "your king has arrived."  
Leo would have nearly fallen off the edge of the ship if it weren't for Nico. Piper found difficulty in not laughing at this, receiving an even more laughable glare from Leo.  
As the ship stoped at the docks, the crew members filed out one by one. Leo, Nico, and Hazel were the firsts to leave. Piper could obscurely hear Leo grumbling something about him planning to slip.  
Percy and Piper where the last ones to get off the Curse.  
The way Percy remained silent made Piper feel even more concerned for her friend. If anything, he'd be cracking a smile–feeling happy to be back home. Instead, he scrunched his eyebrows and frowned, as if something were pursuing him.  
Piper didn't like the fact that he was hiding something from his crew. She had no doubt that it was important. But she still had this horrible feeling that made her think that Percy payed no importance to his friends, or that he didn't trust them at all. She hated thinking that way, but there was no other possibility she could think of, which only made her feel guiltier. She was starting to believe that maybe she was the horrible friend with trust issues.  
Her thoughts were interrupted as she saw a woman squeeze both Percy and she into a tight hug. Piper hugged the woman back, having a confused expression on her face. As the woman pulled away, a warm smile appeared on Piper's face, realizing that the woman was Sally Jackson, wearing a puffy white gown around her slim body, her curly brown hair framing her aged, but beautiful, face.  
"You're back so soon!" Percy's mother sounded happy. "We thought you wouldn't return for days–weeks, even!"  
Percy smiled at his mother, a hint of happiness in his sea green eyes. "Some things came up. So we had to come back and prepare for them."  
Piper had no idea what Percy was talking about. She raised an eyebrow at him, somewhat feeling angry at him for not mentioning this. In the distance she could hear Leo laughing, a hot glow coming from the direction of the sound.  
Piper was two seconds from asking Percy what he was talking about, but Sally beat her to it. "Percy, is something wrong?" Something about the concern in her voice made Piper feel guilty, as if she had done purposely hurt her son.  
"I'll tell you later, don't worry." Percy then turned towards Piper, a distant look in his eyes. Piper tried her best not to glare at the Captain. "You too. Meet me and the whole crew tomorrow at the Four-Hoofed Tavern."  
Immediately, Piper felt relieved that Percy wasn't planning on hiding anything from them. She was glad that he could trust them. But she still felt guilty for feeling angry at him. It must have been pretty bad…  
That's when she started worrying. Was Percy about to drop out as Captain? Piper was first mate and all, but there was _no_ way she could replace him. Was their days of sailing the seas under the black flag over? Piper surely hoped not.  
It could've have been anything, but naturally, Piper's mind grasped for the worst possible scenario.  
Percy had told her to get some rest, that tomorrow was going to be a big day. Piper smiled at him, saying good-bye to Sally and Percy as she walked into town.  
She hadn't noticed how dark it had gotten. Millions of stars glittered across the sky, lighting up the path into town. The wind had gotten chillier, her skin getting goose bumps as she hugged her arms.  
Leo was talking to a cute girl with almond shaped eyes the color of syrup–Calypso, the somewhat only political figure on the island. Ogygia had once been governed under a tyrant, Atlas. He hated any mortal who'd ever step a foot on his island. Most of the mortals on the island needed to go into hiding, including Piper. She remembered the first day she'd arrived, the day she had left London, and her father…  
The thought of her father filled Piper's soul with melancholy, a sense of longing overtaking her heart. She missed her father deeply, but they were part of two different worlds. He was a famous actor, and had moved from America to England after his father died. He too was a half-blood–except his roots were Native American instead Olympian.  
Piper wasn't meant for the life of fame or luxury. Instead she found happiness in traveling, exploring the seas, seeing new land. She was upset when she left her father, but the way he took her decision lifted weight off her chest. He was glad–happy–that she would be pursuing what she loved. She knew that she would see him again, and she waited that day expectantly.  
When Piper arrived at Ogygia, the mortals of the island had ushered her to hide. She saw no reason why until she noticed how the Titan mistreated them. Piper hated feeling so vulnerable, so she felt like she had to take a chance. She stood up against the titan, calling him out for being such a cruel governor. She was sure that she was about to be impaled by a javelin when he saw the look of anger on Atlas' face. Luckily, Leo, Nico, and Hazel jumped in and stopped the titan before getting into further trouble. That had been how she met her friends.  
Eventually, the four of them were inseparable. They shared much in common: Their love for sailing, their knack for adventure, their hatred for Atlas.  
A few months later, Percy had arrived at the island on the huge ship that would become the vessel for their ongoing adventures. Piper always found it funny how Percy had no crew, no gold, no flamboyant clothing, nothing but his ship; yet he still called himself a pirate. She also wondered how a boy could travel so far away all alone at sea.  
She soon realized that Percy wasn't very smart. For a pirate, he had no idea how to steal from towns or inject fear into the people. In fact, Piper thought he didn't even try. All he did was stay at the tavern and walk around town.  
Piper's theory about Percy's stupidity went further as he saw the boy challenge Atlas. That day, Piper was hanging by the tavern with her friends as he saw a tall, muscular man walk down from the mansion on the golden hills. He had stony gray skin, and there wasn't a part in his body that changed color. His eyes were blank, as if he were a statue that had come to life. Over his head, he wore a cloak, and in his hand he had 5 feet long javelin.  
Atlas had been assaulting the mortals of Ogygia, shouting at them and taking swings at them once in a while. Piper had noticed the newly arrived pirate yelling at the titan in anger. Atlas eyed the boy, analyzing him like a piece of meat. When Piper saw him smile, She knew that the kid had messed up. She knew that it was it for him.  
Instead, the titan seemed interested in him. Piper wasn't sure if he was going to suddenly attack, or bargain over the boy's life. Knowing Atlas, preserving his life wasn't something he would ever consider, and Piper was right.  
Atlas jabbed his spear, aiming at Percy's heart, but he was fast. He sidestepped, dodging stabs and swings as if he were a born fighter. Piper felt afraid for him–he _had_ been armless, nonetheless, but Percy made it look easy. The idiot even tried stopping a swing by catching the shaft, but that only sent him tumbling down the street.  
Once they had enough distance, Percy had pulled out a bronze flintlock, aiming it at the tyrant's chest. Atlas only laughed at this. "You have fight in you, young one. Go ahead. Shoot. Gun powder is not enough to defeat me."  
Percy had gulped here, and Piper could tell that he was trying his best to hide his fear. Then, it was as if magic had happened. Percy twiddled his fingers on his pistol nervously–the barrel of the flintlock elongating, _morphing_ into something else. There was a faint glow from the weapon, a glow that remained even when it had transformed into a cutlass.  
Piper wasn't the only one in awe at Percy's magical weapon. She noticed the townspeople gasping, her friends gawking, looking between each other as if they were sending a mental message. Even the titan stood still for a few seconds, but he seemed to regain himself.  
Atlas lunged himself at Percy, but he was prepared. As far as Piper could remember, Percy was a hurricane of madness. He rolled around the titan, slashing and stabbing him between the legs, or on his chest, or cutting his arm. Golden ichor seemed to flow down his body, a more irritated look on his face.  
She felt like she had the chance to attack, to help Percy. She glanced around, noticing that her friends were ready to attack too. _Mother_ , Piper had begun praying silently, _I know I'm not your favorite, but please, help us…_  
As soon as she'd unsheathed her dagger, Percy screamed, "No! Wait for my signal!" She thought that Percy was crazy, but soon enough she noticed his plan. As Percy dodged and swiped and rolled around, She noticed them moving farther towards the beach, closer to the ocean. Piper had no idea how this would work, but she decided to stay put.  
She had heard Hazel scream when they saw the titan pierce Percy in the leg with his javelin. The wound had made him lose his balance, making Percy fall on his face against the golden sand. Piper couldn't catch her breath when she saw Atlas pull the javelin off Percy's leg, finding pleasure in his screams of pain.  
"Foolish little demigod. That's right, scream. Scream for what it's left, for these last moments of pain are all you have. You dare believe surviving after defying me? _Me,_ the general of the Army of the Golden Age! Insolent fool!"  
Percy looked up at Atlas, a painful look on his face. Piper could barely control herself from running over and attacking the titan. She was almost sure there was never going to be a signal.  
"Now," Percy winced, and immediately a tidal wave had erupted from the ocean, engulfing Atlas. Piper stood in shock for a brief second, until Hazel had pulled her towards the beach.  
The next thing she knew, they were all going crazy on the tyrant. Leo had been jumping around, distracting Atlas with every move while he slammed one good fireball against the other. Piper had climbed on his back, stabbing his stony skin as best as she could, leaving it to crumble and decay with every stab. Hazel had sent a storm of iron, diamonds, and gold, all aiming for the titan's face, being careful not to hurt her friends. Finally, Nico had a acquired a cutlass of his own, applying brutal force to every area that had been scorched by Leo.  
Atlas began bellowing in anger, taking a few swings at each and every one of them, but there were so many demigods attacking him, he barely had a chance to defend himself.  
Percy had emerged from the water, almost as if he were surfing on a wave. Piper gave him a confused look as she'd notice his wound barely beginning to heal. He had an angry look on his face, which even made Piper feel a little afraid. The water had begun crawling towards them, being careful to wrap a cocoon around Atlas' body. As his body was fully enveloped by the water, Piper and her friend's began retreating, letting Percy deal with the rest.  
For a second, She had thought that he would drown the titan on the spot, but a thought in her mind made her believe that he wasn't that cruel. Instead, the liquid cocoon had formed into a giant hand, leading it's way towards the ocean. Once it had reached a distance, Percy had flicked his hand as if he were throwing something, sending Atlas flying into the distance.  
The whole town cried into cheers, running towards their new heroes and lifting them off their feet. Piper felt proud of herself, thankful that Percy would arrive and finally step up to Atlas. She felt glad that she didn't have to stand back and watch them battle while she did nothing. She felt amazing that her friends took part of it, truly working together as a team.  
But the cheering soon died when the powerful demigod collapsed. All that power must have drained Percy, and he had been pretty banged up after the battle. Thankfully, Leo and Nico took hold of him by the shoulders, dragging him off to the tavern.  
Calypso had been the one tending Percy's wounds while he was in his small blackout, which made Leo feel resentful towards the newcomer.  
Piper found it surprising how Calypso had been glad that her father had finally been gone, explaining that he had held her captive for being a "disgrace." Then again, if Piper's dad locked her up for no reason, she'd be a little resentful too.  
She had barely noticed when she arrived at her front door, her senses catching back to reality. Leo and Calypso had given her company, a huge grin on Leo's face as if he'd cracked the best joke ever, and an annoyed, but loving, look on Calypso's face, as if she'd just heard the worst joke in the world.  
"Thanks guys," Piper smiled at them as she opened her wooden door. "I'll see you two tomorrow. By the way, Leo, Percy wants to meet us and the crew tomorrow morning."  
Leo tilted his head here, furrowing his eyebrows. "Sure, but, what for? Where at?"  
Piper shrugged, not really knowing the answer herself. "Four-Hoof Tavern. It's supposed to be something important."  
Leo nodded, smiling at Calypso. "Knowing Percy, he probably lost his favorite ring or something."  
As soon as Piper had said goodbye, she marched herself to bed, feeling exhausted from the long journeys she had. Her sleep took over her body and mind as soon as her eyes went shut.

The blazing rays bursting through her window interrupted Piper from her sleep. She had no way of calculating time, but noticing the yellow glow of the sun, she could tell that it was barely past sunset.  
She looked around at her small cabin, smiling at its small, yet comfortable, perimeter. On her left, she had glass that Piper barely used as a mirror, she had no time for that. Leaning on the glass was a drawing framed by carved mahogany, something Hazel had made for Piper. The drawing was her dad smiling at her, his typical confident smile that Piper had loved so much. Now, Hazel had never met Piper's dad, but she must have been pretty good at imagining paintings if it was based on the way Piper was describing him. It looked pretty accurate.  
She lay in her bed, realizing that she hadn't changed or showered since she arrived back home. She chided herself for this, immediately rushing out of bed to fill her bucket with some clean water. After her shower, Piper had slipped into a different motley shirt this time, the stripes being navy blue. She had a favoring towards this style of clothing, as they were comfortable and easy to fight in. She put on a pair of baggy pants, allowing hers leather boots to cover the space between her tendon and her ankle. She refused to bring anything else with her besides her dagger–No jewelry, no bandannas, thinking that they would be unnecessary.  
A blow of salty air brushed Piper's hair as she walked towards the tavern, happily greeting people with good mornings and how do you do's.  
She had noticed Will, a blonde boy who captained a ship himself with a few of his siblings, walking out of Four-Hoofed as she came in. They both said their respectful hellos and continued along.  
The Four-Hoofed tavern had been like haven for fellow pirates. There was hardly any trouble, and if trouble started, Cyprus–the buff centaur/bartender/owner of the bar–would find a quick and painful way to end it. Candled lamps dangled from the ceiling, casting a low light over the round tables. Piper didn't mind, the sun's light was bright enough anyway. The tavern seemed nearly empty, only having one table full of people.  
The only one missing from the crew was Percy, naturally. Piper took a seat beside her friends. Hazel, Leo, and Nico were in deep conversation, looking just as confused as Piper.  
"Where's the Captain?" Piper asked them, raising an eyebrow.  
"I'm not sure…We thought we'd find him here already, since he seemed a little agitated last night." Hazel stated. Piper agreed with her, Percy did seem a little nervous before, and that only made Piper feel the same.  
Still, she had to stay confident. She was second in command, and that kind of job wasn't as easy as it sounded. She had to keep the groups morale up, keep them boosted.  
"Ah man, I did _not_ wake up so early just so Cappy could oversleep." Leo yawned.  
Nico rolled his eyes at him, kicking his feet on top of the table.  
The four if them kept talking, mostly about Percy and what he was up to or what had made him feel so agitated.  
Suddenly, Percy had arrived, and he brought company. Next to him was a girl with frizzy red hair and emerald green eyes, a fearless grin on her face. Her motley t-shirt and leggings were stained with several shades of paint, making it obvious that she was a messy painter.  
Percy and Rachel Elizabeth Dare sat down next to each other on the table, an awkward tension in the air. Piper raised an eyebrow at Percy, trying to read his thoughts. Instead, she received an evasive smile from him.  
Percy cleared his throat, tapping his legs impulsively against the wooden floor. "So, uh, You're probably wondering why I brought you all here. Now, don't be worried or anything, it's just…I think there's trouble." Suddenly, everyone looked interested. Percy looked nervous addressing his crew, even though he'd done it several times. "Yesterday, after battling Scatron or whatever, he told me something, warned me about something. He said some dangerous things were stirring, I'm not sure what he meant about that, but it's still worrying. But what concerns me the most was his message, 'He rises again. The Crooked One.'"  
Piper could barely keep her heartbeat still. Whatever Percy was talking about, it sounded dangerous. The others seemed to have felt the same, as the silence was slowly taking over their meeting.  
Finally, Nico spoke up. "The Crooked One…I've heard that somewhere."  
"Do you know what it could mean?" Hazel asked her brother.  
"Nothing good, I'm sure. I've heard dad talking about it…"  
"Maybe Scatron was just talking about his great grandpapi? Anything is possible."  
"I doubt it, Leo. But nice try."  
Percy took a deep breath, as if he had more to say. "That's not the end of it. When I first got my ship, The Atlantis' Curse, my father warned me about something. He said, 'My son, taking this vessel ways a great responsibility upon your shoulders. Not only must you care for it, but you must guide it to the most dangerous battle of your life. But be not afraid, you and your crew shall succeed. When he rises, you will all be the heroes to strike him down.' He barely gave me a chance to ask any questions. And, I don't know…I feel like whatever he's talking about, it's coming soon."  
Great, Piper thought. Suddenly a god had invited them to the most dangerous quest of their life. Piper couldn't blame Percy. He had no control over his fate as much as wanted to. He never dragged any of them into this.  
"That's why I brought Rachel," he continued, "she's the best guidance we can get. Rachel, if there's anything you've seen–please, we have to know."  
Rachel had stayed so quiet during the conversation, that Piper had nearly forgotten she was there. "I keep seeing this island," she began explaining, "it's up north. The Island of Wraiths, it's called. But, Percy, it looks dangerous…It's dark and lifeless over there The visions keep telling me that they are the key to your journey, but I'm not sure if we can trust them."  
"Wraiths," Nico repeated glumly, "Those aren't good at all. Those guys are the anarchists of the Underworld, yet the smartest of the undead you'll ever meet."  
Percy let out a sigh, trying to hide the misery on his face. "Right. I'll go to the island. If these wraith guys really are that much trouble, I don't want to drag you guys into that. Like Rachel said, it's too dangerous."  
"Oh, no way, bro. There's no way we're letting you go to the home of Creepy McGhost all alone. It's with us or it's nothing."  
"Leo's right," Piper said, "We're a team and we're sticking together."  
"Count us in. Besides, you need us children of the Underworld to reason with the wraiths." Hazel suggested.  
Nico gave Percy a small smile, agreeing with his sister. Piper thought that he would protest, ask them to stay here, but instead he gave them a huge grin, as if pressure been alleviated from his heart.  
"You guys are the best. We should be leaving soon. Just one more thing: Rachel, do you know exactly what we need from the Island of the Wraiths?"  
Rachel pressed her hand against her head, sighing as she tried to remember. "It's blurry, but I think it has something to do with the fate of–"  
Will Solace suddenly burst into the tavern, a fearful look on his face. "You guys gotta check this out. Fast."  
Nico was the first to get up, the rest of them following behind him. Percy had asked what was going on, But Will just led them to the docks.  
A knot formed in Piper's throat as Will pointed at the vessel stopped several miles away, a Union Jack barely visible on its foremast.


End file.
